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The Little Puppy With The Outside Heart

I once was moved to write this for a dear, brokenhearted friend. I’m grateful for that inspiration.

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Once, some years ago, a very special and unique little puppy was born. She was sweet, smart, and playful like most puppies, but unlike the others, her heart was on the outside of her body. The little puppy’s heart peeked out from under her fur, where everyone else, except her, could see it beating.

When she was very young, the little puppy just wanted to fit in and be like all the other puppies. Every day she woke up and tried to do the same things as any other puppy would. She would chase after butterflies. She would playfully run after clouds. She would race through open fields trying to find the end of rainbows. All the while, the little puppy tried and tried to make the most out of each day.

Still, other puppies seemed to treat her just a little differently. They didn’t really want to join her on her adventures. They would play with her sometimes, but only when they felt like it. Sometimes they pretended like they didn’t even see her. All of this made the little puppy feel sad and lonely. She felt misunderstood and isolated. All she really wanted was to feel accepted, appreciated, and loved.

One day, while she was all alone, the little puppy walked by a mirror and happened to catch her own reflection for the very first time ever. Startled, she first looked at her own face. She noticed that her eyes looked very sad, despite having what felt like great spirit and beautiful energy staring out from them. Next, she saw her whole head, which was hanging low, despite being filled with so many dreams, and hopes, and wonderful ideas. Then, with great surprise, she saw it. She looked down and noticed her heart, right there, on the outside of her chest, for the whole world to see.

She was amazed, humbled, and could not look away. Her outside heart was beating so strongly. It was magnificent. She instantly felt lighter, as if a chain around her soul had been unlocked. She finally realized why she was so different from all of the other puppies, and oddly enough, from that moment on, she started to feel less lonely.

As time passed, the little puppy continued to live her life happily. If other puppies didn’t want to play with her or share in her adventures, she was less bothered. She could gladly and proudly face any adventures on her own, for the moment she first saw her outside heart, she found love and acceptance on the inside.

One gorgeous day, as she was walking through a meadow, the bluest sky revealed a the most spectacular rainbow she had ever seen. She decided that she’d run straight toward the end of it. Right as she was about to sprint away, she saw another little puppy sitting right in her path. He tilted his head from side to side, looking at her curiously. He cautiously took a few steps toward her, then stopped. She asked the little puppy if he was okay.

“Yes, I am fine, but I can’t believe what I’m seeing right now,” he said gently. He slowly took a few more steps toward her. She was prepared to answer any and all questions about her outside heart, until she noticed a heart beating strongly on the outside of his chest! He had an outside heart, just like her.

They talked and laughed for a few hours, then decided to chase after the end of the rainbow together. They ran and ran and never looked back.

The End.